


Curiosity Killed the Cat

by Mizu7



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Beau is an idiot, F/F, Mutual Pining, cute shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 14:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14750915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mizu7/pseuds/Mizu7
Summary: But satisfaction brought him back.Aka Beau is an idiot





	Curiosity Killed the Cat

Beau couldn’t sleep. 

So much had happened in the past twenty four hours. By all accounts, she really should be exhausted, and yet she couldn’t find it in herself to shut her eyes and let the sleep come. 

Not when the group’s barbarian lay beside her, sleeping soundly despite the dark rage that they had seen in her eyes, and skeletal wings that had seemed to sprout out of absolutely nowhere not too long ago. It was both incredible and utterly frightening. 

Everyday she was learning more and more about these people that she was slowly coming to terms with calling friends, very slowly. Yet this? This amazing display of raw strength and terrifying presence had only been passed off with a shrug when asked about it. 

The curiosity was killing her. 

Even more so now as Beau lay on her side, staring right at Yasha’s back where the wings once were. 

Were the wings still there? Neatly tucked behind the fur shawl? Beau squinted. She didn’t see anything before when Yasha stood up from the bath, perhaps her hair was in the way? Beau would have noticed… well no, actually she wouldn’t have noticed any skeletal wings. There were other...things distracting her at the time. 

Yasha mumbled in her sleep, curling inward slightly just enough for the fur shawl over her back to slip, exposing a very pale shoulder. 

Beau bit her lip, she had to know. There would be no rest for her if she left this unchecked. 

She changed a glance the distance where Jester and Nott sat beside the fire, not so quietly chatting about the exciting day and doodling it all in her journal. 

If she was careful, Yasha wouldn’t notice. She could just gently push aside the shawl and see for herself. Simple as that. 

Beau slowly wiggled herself forward, quietly scooting herself across the damp grass just within reach of Yasha’s sleeping form to see the gentle rise and fall as she slept soundly. 

She gulped, feeling a surge of excitement and wonder over her nervousness she kept her hand steady as the top of her nails brushed aside the fur. 

But there was nothing. 

No dark evil looking wings tucked within, no markings that there ever were any at all, not even scars. Just a very well toned, muscular back, nearly stark white and pale as the rest of her skin was. 

Beau pouted.

Unfortunately, her disappointment overshadowed her thought process. Completely forgetting this was meant to be a stealthy mission, she reached out and gently brushed her fingers tips over Yasha’s shoulder blades, hoping to find perhaps an indentation or any kind of indication of wings but found nothing but cold smooth skin. 

Which brought the barbarian awake in an instant. 

Suddenly, the campfire dimmed. 

Beau’s very soul flew from her body as right before her eyes a dark energy seemed to seep out of Yasha’s skin and two skeletal wings burst from her shoulder blades as the barbarian jumped to her feet with blade in hand. 

Beau sat up with a short yelp of surprise and promptly toppled over Molly who was sleeping rather peacefully before she scrambled over him to get away from the massive wings that nearly struck her as they sprout from her back.

“Whoa whoa whoa! Easy Yasha easy there’s no one attacking!” she tried, holding her hand out defensively as Yasha’s black eyes scanned the trees and surroundings. 

Nott and Jester were already on their feet, weapons drawn and pointing to the shadows outside of their campfire as Caleb, disorientated held a small ball of fire in his grasp ready to be thrown. Fjord struggled to summon any spell but just pointed menacingly in any direction, hoping it would be enough. 

“Yasha, what is it? What happened and who has angered you!?” Jester called out, grinning from ear to ear with excitement, ready for another fight. 

Yasha remained quiet, looking around feverishly. After fruitless few moments, she slowed in realization that there was nothing to be seen. No enemy, nothing lurking trying to rouse them from sleep again, nothing. 

“I…” she started in a quiet but shaky breath, and let out a long sigh as she closed her eyes.

The campfire roared back to life as her wings quietly folded back into her body and her purple and blue eyes returned as she blinked.

Molly sat up slowly, his gaze locked onto her as he shoved Beau off his body,“Yasha love, are you alright?” 

“I uh...I think...so…” she paused a moment, turning around to find all of the Mighty Nein staring at her groggily with worry. 

Despite her size and strength, she seemed to shrink under all the attention. 

“I-I’m sorry….I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to wake anyone I just…” her fingers found each other, fidgeting slightly as she looked at the ground, embarrassed if not ashamed. 

“...M-maybe I’ll take the next watch...please go back to sleep everyone, I’m sorry.” 

Beau felt her heart drop to her stomach as the dejected barbarian quietly stepped away from her spot and towards the front of camp. 

“Hey Beau.” 

The monk froze as a hand clamped over her shoulder. 

“Maybe you should join Yasha, yeah?”

Beau turned around just enough to see Molly’s deep red eyes boring into hers as he spoke through gritted teeth. His grip tightening as he smiled coolly. 

“Keep her company?”

Despite his kind words, she could practically feel what he really meant. 

I have no idea how or why but I know it’s your fault and you need to fix it NOW. 

“Oooowwwkkaay! Ok! Jeez!” Beau hissed, smacking his hand away as she pushed herself up to stand. 

Molly smiled with his mouth but glared at her with his eyes, pointing to himself then to her, indicating his watchful gaze on her should she try anything funny again. 

Beau rolled her eyes and flipped him off as she went, swiping her staff on the way. 

“Have a good night Beauregard~” Jester smiled, her voice in a song as she skipped with Nott back to camp. Nott however was having trouble with the skipping part and proceeded to hop along instead. 

Yasha was already sitting quietly in front of the fire, her hands gripping the hilt while she brushed her thumb over the flat of the blade. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t seem to notice Beau until she spoke up with a gentle cough. 

“Um...hey are you ok?” Beau asked as she dropped to the ground sitting next to her, leaving the staff beside her. 

Yasha nodded but kept her gaze on the small blaze, “I’m sorry, I guess I’m a little...jumpy. I thought I felt something and...and it spooked me.” she let out a long sigh, glancing from the corner of her eye with a look of embarrassment that only furthered Beau’s guilt. 

“I know that’s no excuse but-”

“No no I should be the one to apologize I uh...”

Beau’s struggle to explain herself was promptly distracted as a familiar orange cat seemed to have poofed into existence beside Yasha. The barbarian’s eyes lit up as the cat carefully crawled into her lap, resting it’s chin on her knee and curling it’s body against her legs. 

“Oh! Hello Frumpkin” she smiled. Hesitant at first, she slowly brought her large hand down to stroke the fur on its head. 

“He’s making that sound again” she mumbled quietly, as she could now feel the loud purring against her knee. 

Beau stared at Frumpkin for a moment, her suspicions confirmed when the cat looked up at her then winked. 

The monk whipped around and found the remaining members of the Mighty Nein now wide awake and huddled together as they watched the night watch. Caleb’s eyes glazed over with his lips moving slightly, probably narrating the events to the others. 

Upon being noticed, the group waved and offered thumbs up to Beau. 

Except Jester, she lifted her hand with two fingers up and spread as she made a lewd gesture with her tongue. 

Beau flipped them all off before turning around, her back to them as she scooted closer to Yasha who seemed so entranced with the cat that if Beau wanted, they could move on and pretend nothing had happened moments ago. But she couldn’t. 

“Yasha I’m sorry but...That was me.” she blurted out, her head dipped low in between her shoulders.  
But Yasha started at her for a moment, not at all upset or offended but genuinely confused. 

“You...what?” 

Which made things more awkward than ever to explain. 

“I uh...wow ok there is no non-creepy way to put this uh so…” Beau’s hands were in her lap, fumbling and grasping at herpants. 

“You...did that really amazing thing with that - you know wings and the eyes and...I was...kinda curious if you know...maybe you were hiding them this whole time but-Oh wow yeah that does seem really gross and creepy I’m sorry I shouldn’t have touched you without you knowing that was… really dumb of me”

For a moment there was nothing but the soft roar of the fire as Yasha just stared at her wide eyed with Beau frozen in place awaiting a reply. 

Somewhere in the distance, Caleb buried his face in his hands with second hand shame while the others quietly begged him to tell them what was said. 

After a long moment of heavy silence, Yasha bit her lip in thought before asking so quietly Beau nearly missed it, “Did you see anything?”

Beau’s mouth fell slack for a brief moment as the large woman stared at her with anticipation. 

“You really have no idea about this do you?” 

Yasha shook her head.

“No there’s nothing there. No markings, scars...I was kinda hoping for like, smaller versions? Like you had small wings you were hiding behind your hair and fur thing?” Beau made a small motion with her hands, holding them out a few inches indicating the general size of what she was expecting. 

“I actually thought so too for awhile but no it just...happens.” 

Beau adjusted herself to sit facing her, her curiosity having returned with a vengeance,“What’s it feel like? They look all boney and shit - can you feel if someone touches that or like how is all that? It just happened one day?” 

“I...don’t know...how to describe it” Yasha started quietly, her eyes focused on the warm cat in her lap as her fingers stroked the area behind the ears she had seen the other pet him.  
“One day the light around me disappeared and there they were. But it felt like I’ve had them my whole life. It feels… natural? You know? As if… I’ve always meant to have them and they are really a part of me.” 

She paused for a moment,“It’s...kind of scary.” 

“Scary is good!” Beau exclaimed, possibly with a little too much enthusiasm, as Yasha was taken aback by it and stared at her with confusion,”Scary is uh...you know, I’m just glad you’re on our side you know? Hate to be one of those guys you know what I mean?”

If Beau listened carefully, she would have caught the soft groan of more secondhand awkwardness from the group behind her. But in that moment, possibly a trick of the light but she could have swore there was just the slightest tinge of pink in Yasha’s cheeks as she smiled. 

“I’m...glad to be on your side too.” 

Beau smiled, bright and wide. 

It was a start.


End file.
